365 Days of Climate Awareness 136 – 2002 State of the North American and European Climate

2002 US Climate Data

• Global atmospheric CO₂ concentration: 372.59 ppm, +2.02 from 2001
• Average air temperature: 54.9°F, 22^nd all-time 1894-2021
• Average precipitation: 26.05”, 25^th driest 1894-2021
• Tornadoes: 836, well below the 1991-2010 average 1228
• 12 named tropical cyclones: 4 became hurricanes, 2 major (winds > 111 mph, 3-5 Saffir-Simpson)
• ENSO: neutral through July, El Niño by year’s end

North American Conditions

• Temperature: northeast and southwest particularly warm; no state significantly below 20^th century ave.; Canada warmer than ave. for 10^th straight year
• Above average dryness: western half of the US; Colorado record dryness during December; central and western Canada; 23% of US in drought in early 2002; 39% by July
• Precipitation: eastern US wetter than average
• Wildfire: second-worst US season to date (Midwest and western states)

Snowfall in Canada and the US was below average, due to above-average temperatures in the air, though the warmer-than-usual Great Lakes contributed to increased localized snowfall. Dry conditions persisted in the Great Plains—drawing comparisons to the drought of 1988, and even to the Dust Bowl era—but the Gulf Coast and eastern states received enough rain from a series of tropical storms to relieve the drought and depress the fire hazard. Drought persisted throughout Canada and led to one of the worst growing seasons in the country’s history.

The 2002 North Atlantic hurricane season featured below average activity, with nearly 75% of that occurring with three September hurricanes in the Caribbean. This correlates with the emergence of El Niño, which affects wind patterns across the South American and Caribbean tropics, such as by the prevalence of upper-level westerly (eastwardly-blowing) winds which increase shear and impede hurricane formation. In September, however, hurricane Gustav, which had weakened to a tropical storm, regained hurricane strength from the water off the coast of the eastern US, and hit Nova Scotia as a newly-reformed hurricane. This and other storms contributed to a wet end to the year for maritime Canada.

Europe experienced above-average temperatures throughout the year, with the UK and Ireland have near-record-warmth. Scandinavia experienced one of its warmest summers on record, though the fall brought much cooler temperatures there and to western Russia. Precipitation was below average throughout the region, with only parts of Norway, Sweden and Iceland receiving greater-than-average snow and rainfall on the year. Despite that, the summer brought flooding throughout much of the central part of the continent.

 

Tomorrow: 2002 state of the world climate.

Be brave, and be well.